The IRS has proposed very significant changes in the regulations that govern what kind of political activity and how much of that activity a Section 501(c)(4) organization can carry out. This step is our best chance to rein in the secret “dark money” that has been polluting our elections since the Supreme Court’s terrible decision in Citizens United. At the same time, the current proposal would undermine the League’s ability to conduct truly nonpartisan voter service activities across the country.

The national League has submitted comments to the IRS on the proposal, but we need your help!

Reforming IRS regulations is our single best opportunity to respond to Citizens United, which allowed political operatives like Karl Rove on the right and Bill Burton on the left to raise and spend unlimited amounts of secret money in candidate elections. By stopping 501(c)(4) organizations from spending on “candidate-related political activity,” the IRS can stop the abuse in its tracks.

For 94 years the League has played a unique role in our elections by providing truly nonpartisan voter services and information to voters across the country. Unfortunately, the IRS proposal as it stands would jeopardize our work because it does not provide any exception for truly nonpartisan voter service activities like those carried out by the League. This is a terrible mistake, both for voters and for our democracy.

The IRS must stop the “dark money” polluting our elections. Don’t back off. We have seen too much abuse by fly-by-night 501(c)(4) organizations and it is harming our democracy. We need real transparency and tough rules to stop “candidate-related political activity” by these organizations.

At the same time, the current IRS proposal must be changed to make sure that truly nonpartisan voter service activities by the League of Women Voters can continue. The existing standards currently applied to 501(c)(3) organizations governing nonpartisan election activities should also be applied to (c)(4) organizations.